Folios have become the most common style of iPad case over the past two years, and depending on what you're looking for, one of the dozens of new designs might be an ideal fit for your tablet. A folio places your iPad inside of a fabric, leather, or plastic enclosure that looks like a folder, generally opening to reveal a holder for the iPad on one side, and screen-covering lid with a stand or stand support on the other. Today, we're separately rounding up three different categories of folios for the third-generation iPad -- updates to past iPad 2 models we've covered, "new" options that are highly similar to ones we've covered before, and then truly new models that are distinctive in at least a couple of ways. This review is part of the "new but highly similar" case roundup, looking at Odoyo's SlimCoat for iPad 2 and the third-generation iPad ($50).

If you’ve been missing the style of Apple’s original iPad Case, you’re in luck. SlimCoat is a slightly nicer-looking take on the original iPad folio-style case, but has a very similar structure. Without an iPad inside, the rubber and faux suede case sits completely flat. There are well-cut but not perfectly centered openings for the buttons and ports, and the front lid can tuck under a flap on the back to transform into a stand. One new feature is the addition of screen-locking magnets, which do work properly with the new iPad, and unlike some of the folios we’re seeing these days, aren’t susceptible to accidentally unlocking the screen during normal use. Three color combinations are available.

Apart from its derivative design, SlimCoat is a pretty good case; the faux suede material feels a lot nicer than Apple’s classic iPad case, and the two-tone accenting is a serious visual upgrade to the prior design, as well. Both of the stand positions work as expected so long as you tuck the soft fabric lid hinge in properly, and everything from the buttons to the ports is accessible, assuming that you give your iPad a little push inside to make sure it’s lined up squarely with the holes; ideally, you wouldn’t have to do this at all. Given the overall look, feel, and functionality here, we’d call this a good case—if you’re looking for a thin folio and liked Apple’s design, you’ll find this to be an upgrade worthy of the added dollars.

Editors' Note: iLounge only reviews products in "final" form, but many companies now change their offerings - sometimes several times - after our reviews have been published.
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